From: Primary care physicians' approach to diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis B and hepatitis C patients
 | Case III | Case IV | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | n | % | Current Advice | n | % | Current Advice |
At this point your next step would be to: | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
   Repeat the measurement of anti-HCV | 16 | 12.4 | No | 49 | 38 | No |
   Follow in clinic: refer if symptoms develop | 5 | 3.9 | No | 30 | 23.2 | Yes |
   Refer to a specialist | 108 | 83.7 | Yes | 50 | 38.8 | Yes |
   Don't know | - | - |  | - | - |  |
Which additional tests would you order (check all that apply)*: | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
   anti-HCV ELISA | 52 | 40.3 | No | 50 | 38.8 | No |
   anti-HCV RIBA | 2 | 1.6 | Yes | 4 | 3.1 | Yes |
   HCV-RNA by PCR | 105 | 81.4 | Yes | 106 | 82.2 | Yes |
   HCV genotyping | 3 | 2.3 | No | 9 | 7.0 | No |
If you order therapy, which regimen would you recommend: | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
   IFN-α for 6 months | 23 | 17.8 | No | 20 | 15.5 | No |
   IFN-α for 12 months | 4 | 3.1 | No | 4 | 3.1 | No |
   Ribavirin alone | - | - | No | - | - | No |
   IFN-α and Ribavirin | 23 | 17.8 | Yes | 24 | 18.6 | No |
   Don't know | 79 | 61.3 |  | 81 | 62.8 |  |